Best known for his starring roles in such daytime dramas as “All My Children,” “The Young and the Restless,” “Another Life,” “Tribes,” “Santa Barbara” and “Days of our Lives,” veteran actor Nicholas “Nick” Benedict has died. He passed away on his 77th birthday (Friday, July 14), it was confirmed to Soap Opera Network by Barbara Ferrante, owner of Jake’s Steakhouse in Tehachapi, CA, where Benedict’s wife of 22 years, Ginger, works as a bartender.
According to a GoFundMe that was set up before his death, Benedict had emergency spinal cord surgery on July 2. Just two days later, on July 4, he was admitted to hospice and was paralyzed from the neck down. Ten days later, he died surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife, in Arizona, where the couple resided.
Courtesy of ABC via Everett Collection
Benedict first made a name for himself in 1964, appearing in the film “Mike and the Mermaid,” which also starred Rachel Ames (“General Hospital”). He would later appear in a number of classic primetime dramas before ultimately landing the role of Phillip “Phil” Brent on “All My Children” in 1973. While Benedict might have been the second actor to portray the character, he was the most memorable and longest-running actor to play the part. Phillip was the second husband of the iconic Erica Kane (Susan Lucci).
After exiting “All My Children” in 1978, Benedict received a Daytime Emmy nomination in 1979 for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series for his portrayal of Phillip on the ABC soap. Later, he went on to appear on “The Young and the Restless” as Michael Scott and “Another Life” as Ron Washington. He also appeared in episodes of “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Tales from the Darkside” and “Knots Landing” throughout the 1980s before again reprising his role as Phillip on “All My Children” in 1988, albeit briefly.
In 1990, Benedict joined the shortlived half-hour soap opera “Tribes,” which ran on FOX stations in the hopes it would garner a more youthful audience in a syndication-like marketplace. Following the cancellation of “Tribes,” the actor joined the cast of “Santa Barbara” as Boots. He remained with the show until 1992. In 1993, Benedict joined “Days of our Lives” as Curtis Reed, the abusive ex-husband of Kate Roberts (first played by Deborah Adair; played by Lauren Koslow since 1996). Appearing as a ghost off and on since the character was revealed to have been shot and killed by Stefano DiMera (played by the late Joseph Mascolo), Benedict made his final appearance on the daytime drama series in 2001.
Prior to making it as an actor in Hollywood, Benedict spent two years in the United States Navy before enrolling to study at the Professional Theatre Workshop Academy. While training, he worked on oil paintings and carpentry and appeared as an extra at Universal Studios. “I was always the cop walking around in the background,” Benedict said in a January 1981 interview with the Hi-Desert Star, a publication based in Yucca Valley, California.
Explaining how his character on “The Young and the Restless” differed from his role on “All My Children,” Benedict said, “[Michael] is more of a man than Phil Brent was. More mature and knows where he’s going.” In speaking about his time on daytime soaps in the same interview, Benedict noted, “If I never did anything but daytime television, I would be happy. I would not consider myself less of a success.”
Benedict is survived by his wife, Ginger.
SECOND CORRECTION: Benedict was 77 when he died, according to Ferrante, who is close with the family.
CORRECTION: Benedict passed away on his 76th birthday. He was born on July 14, 1947. An earlier version of this article incorrectly indicated Benedict was 77.